Environmentally friendly option available to all of us
Going green has been pushed in most country worldwide.” Homes are traditionally known as energy cows. By wasting electricity or water will in turn wast money and reserves. Going green can help not only the world but the homeowner as well. Insulation comes standard with most of all new build homes, always make sure this has been set up correctly by the builders.
If you have an older home this may not be the case. Insulation was not generally added to homes built before the 1940′s. Homeowners with an older home should check to see if their home is insulated.
The most common type of insulation is cavity wall insulation. Insulation is usually injected into the buildings wall cavity. The gap between the two outside walls. Insulation will stop the conduction of heat into or out of your home and save the power you have traditionally used to heat or cool your home. Sometimes heat insulation in countries such as Japan,
America, and the UK is funded by local power companies, so homeowners are urged to contact their power provider before installing insulation. Turning Out the Lights Another simple way to save the environment and homeowners’ money is buy turning out the lights. More and more people are turning to the option of solar panels to help them save the planet and money.
Homeowners have been told for years that turning out lights when they leave a room will greatly reduce their power bills. But how many homeowners follow this advice? According to many studies only a small percentage of homeowners turn out lights when they leave the room. This is really unfortunate because turning out lights is a very simple way to save money and protect the environment. Always research the information you require as there are thousands of energy reviews, home energy review may be the one you need to look at.
It is a fact that a high number of familieshardly use all the rooms in their house. If the lights are switched off when you leave a room it could save you a very considerable amount of money. Turning On the Lights Of course, you cannot live in the dark and you must have your lights on sometime.
Companies have recognized this need to balance the use of electricity and the need to preserve the environment and are now producing environmentally friendly light bulbs. These bulbs use a smaller percentage of electricity every time they are on in the home. They also last longer therefore producing less waste.
Don’t forget to Flush Water bills rank right up there with power bills when it comes to both homeowners’ expenses and protecting the environment. Bathrooms are notorious for wasting water.
Along with things homeowners and their families can do to save water, like not running water while brushing teeth, there are devices on the market to help save water in the bathroom.
Several companies are making low flow shower heads that reduce the amount to water that comes from the shower every time it is turned on. These shower heads are inexpensive and easy for the homeowner to install. Toilets also waste water and devices can be purchased and installed that lower the flow and fill level in all toilets. Having these products installed will reduce the wastage of water.
You will be very suprised at the various options available to start going green. Why now start by recycling. Check out the recycling facts you will be suprised.
Is It Really A Green Product
Someone whispers “organic” or “natural” in mainstream media as the healthy and smart choice and suddenly it is everywhere and the solar power generation is here Organic that, natural this, but is it all just a big scheme to get people to continue to buy their products?
Green Washing. The problem is most products you buy are not all natural or organic and so these companies have a huge problem. Consumer demand started to shift towards healthier “natural and organic” alternatives to the typical non-natural or organic products on the market today. Instead of coming up with a new formula or a new product that actually IS all natural or organic they have simply ADDED a harmless organic ingredient to their products. Why would they do this? That is easy, with this miniscule amount of natural product they can now slap “Made With Organic blah” or “Includes Natural blah” and people will jump all over it, even though nothing has really changed.
So, as a consumer, what can you do to avoid the “fake” go green stuff and get real natural or organic products? It will take a little more than a stop at the super market for starters. Before you go out do some research online and try to find products that actually are all natural and where they are sold so you know where to go. But what if you are at the store already or are not sure what kind of product you want in the first place? Well it gets a little harder but there are some things you can do. Look at the label and see if all the ingredients are organic or natural. If only one is, and it is very small compared to the others on the list then you found a faker, move on.
If it is some kind of skin care product reading the label is the best way to go. The ingredients amount and weight are listed top to bottom. So if an all natural ingredient is the first on you see your probably safe. If it is the last, think again. This does apply to household products that so try to do some research before hand. There are lots of companies now that provide natural alternatives and with a little looking you can probably find some really good deals.
The biggest tattletale is that natural products have nothing to hide. So if it is all natural it will say so on the ingredients and will contain little to nothing of any other ingredient. If you see a huge list of words you can’t pronounce chances are it is not as natural or organic as the huge sticker on the front of it wants you to believe.
Living a Greener Live: What Can You Do?
Tips to Save Energy to Go Green and Save the Earth
1. Cooking requires heat and energy, so conserve it to save money. Cover the cooking pan with a lid so that the heat doesn’t escape. Water will boil around 5% faster in pans with a lid on, thereby saving time, energy and your money, as well as giving the environment a break.
2. While cooking in a Oven, keep the door closed. Most modern Ovens have a glass door so as to let you see what’s happening
inside. Use it appropriately. Around 15% of all oven heat is lost every time the door is opened. If you’re trying to bake a Pizza, for example, and you keep opening the door to see how it’s cooking, then you are cooking at 85% of the efficiency, at the sametime wasting energy and money!
3. STOP using commercial cleaning products in your kitchen or anywhere in your house. They are expensive to buy and expensive to produce. Their production is also harmful to the environment. The waste you release after cleaning is also harmful to the environment.
You can make your own cleaner from a mixture of vinegar, salt and baking soda. It will clean perfectly the same way as a commercial product, and it contains no toxic chemicals, thereby helping the environment. It will cost a great deal less too.
To put this into perspective. We dump some 35 million pounds of toxins down our drains every year, just from household and kitchen cleaning products alone. What kind of damage do you think that is doing to the environment? Well, you don’t have to do it anymore.
Here’s another simple recipe for an all-purpose cleaner, courtesy of
Greenpeace:
½ cup pure liquid soap
1 gallon hot water
¼ cup lemon juice
It’s safe and effective, and costs very little.
4. You don’t have to pre-heat your oven for every time your cook, unless you are baking bread and cake. Just put the dish into the oven and switch on, setting it to the right temperature. That way you are not wasting energy which is lost between the time it is pre-heated and you put in the preparation.
5. Cook once in a day instead of twice. This is a great way to save all round. If your oven can hold two chicken pieces, then why not cook two instead of one. Two chickens will cook in about the same amount of time that one will. Now, do the math… You will cut your cooking time in half, thereby saving electricity – and guess what happens to all the money saved! Yep, it stays right in your pocket. This way you have more time for other activities. The time saved on cooking the second time can be used better elsewhere. Remember, it doesn’t have to be just chickens. It can turkeys, beef, etc. And I surely don’t have to mention the environmental benefits.
Independent writer and Internet Marketeer. My website : http://www.make-my-home-green.com
10 steps to achieving "The Green Effect"
During this economic crisis and continued global warming, the need for sustainable development has become a now issue instead of a later issue. Both private and government entities (including the EPA) have come up with programs and products that promote “green” production and consumption. These environment-friendly practices are now being used in numerous firms and industries.
But what about our homes? Are our homes as "sustainable" as they should be? Continued efforts to sustain the environment should first and foremost be undertaken under our own roof. These can be done with the use of products that consume less power and other valuable resources. Over time, the use of these products can result not only in savings but also in the reduction of waste and materials harmful to our homes and the environment.
Here’s a quick list of 10 items I’ve discovered that can make a world of a difference.
1. Heat-energy recovery system
· Sensible Heat Energy Recovery System (SHERS) uses heat generated from an air-conditioner or refrigerator to heat water. Payback period is anywhere from six months to two years
2.The Eco Bio Block
· Made of volcanic stones and beneficial bacteria, is used to purify water in home aquariums, water tanks and big bodies of water such as ponds, lakes and marshes. When used in home aquariums, there is no need to filter, clean or change water for a period of one to three years.
3. Biowash ball
· Washing clothes without using a detergent may seem strange. Introducing the Anabess biowash ball, it’s made of natural ceramics & alters the chemical composition of the water so it can wash clothes more effectively without liquid detergent. It should last 3 years. Think of the savings in wear & tear on the car from running to the store for more detergent.
4. Air-con with inverter technology
· The Panasonic Envio series of air-conditioners makes use of an “inverter technology” that changes compressor operation speed to match a changing room temperature and adjust power output accordingly, which leads to reduced energy consumption of up to 50 percent, while product only costs about 14% more than the average AC. The payback period may be expected in about seven months..
5.Low Flow faucets
· Moen has heeded the call for water conservation by coming up with WaterSense-certified bathroom faucets. With the help of new aerator technology these Moen faucets use 30% less water than other models but still feel just as powerful on your hands.
6. Compact fluorescent lamp
· Much has been said about the efficiency of compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs. They last about five times as long as incandescent lamps and consume 80 percent less energy with the same level of brightness. Companies such as Purely Products even carry CFLs that double as ionizers for the room, eliminating the need for an unsightly ionizer on the floor.
7.Reusable shopping bags
· The impact of just one person changing to reusable bags over a two-year period is significant. Used twice a week for two years a consumer would save 832 plastic bags from going in a landfill.
8.Biodegradable Cellulose Sandwich bags
· Typical plastic bags are derived from petroleum and take well over a lifespan to decompose. These biodegrade in 30-90 days in soil BUT actually keep food lasting longer, unlike plastic, they don't release gases which spoil food taste.
9.Smart Surge Protector
· Green Home introduced a smart surge protector. The power strip can 'sense' the flow of electrical current through the strip's control outlet. This unique option enables the Smart Strip to turn off selected equipment when it’s not in use saving you time & greenbacks!
A small electronic device inside the Smart Strip monitors the current on a single outlet. Let’s say the computer is plugged into that single outlet. When your PC is finished powering off, the current draw from the computer drops to its idle current -- and the Smart Strip monitors the current change, automatically powering down all of the computer peripherals.
The Smart Strip Power Strip is the only surge protector on the market today with energy saving electronics. The 10 outlet version has 1 Control Outlet, 3 Constant Hot Outlets, and 6 Switched Outlets.
10.Compostable Trash Bags
· These BioBags are made from GMO free starch and are 100% biodegradable and 100% compostable.
Now that you know about these products start using them. By changing just a few things we routinely use, we each can do our part.
